FRIED FISH - FISH FINGER SARNIES + TARTARE AND FRIED FISH BUNS WITH BUFFALO SLAW

Fry some fish this week. Yes folks, it's time to cut ties with captain Birdseye.

Hello all, 

Welcome back to my Substack! I hope you’re all having lovely weeks and embracing this thoroughly welcome, sudden burst of spring. 

Fried fish is on the agenda today. And by that I mean white fish that’s coated, crumbed and shallow-fried until golden and perfectly crisp. 

Of course, its most obvious form is in fingers. For many years I was a lover of the frozen fish finger. Heated up in the oven, smothered in malt vinegar and served with chips and a crunchy cucumber-laden salad was a rare treat in our house growing up. Then there were fish finger sandwiches, oh my the sandwiches. I didn’t think life could get much better than that moment when I squished four orange, crumbed frozen fingers between two slices of pappy white bread. It was a life of contentment, and I will admit that I felt pleased with myself that I embraced this processed convenience food. Then one day, I made my own...and frankly it’s been tricky to go back. The concept of a Bird’s Eye fish finger is so good, but, once you start using fresh fish and frying them yourself in a deep bath of oil, things really step up. And honestly, they’re easy. You can freeze them and batc2h prep them ready to go, plus you know what’s going into them! So today I have a homemade fish finger for you. And along the same lines, there’s also a very delicious fish bun with a punchy buffalo slaw and a slice of melted cheese – it's good, it’s very good. Two very good recipes for the home cook. 

This newsletter is out at least twice a month with a third issue often creeping in (I just can’t stay away!) Each issue has two tried and tested recipes plus extra tips. To be a paid subscriber it’s just £3.70 a month – as one of the cheapest newsletters out there, I would ask you to consider upgrading to the paid version for more home cooking recipe content. 

Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!

Esther x 

HOW TO - 

THE FISH 

Fresh vs frozen - Fresh is best so don’t go for frozen – it’s usually water laden and doesn’t work well once crumbed. Fresh frankly tastes a lot better too. Buy good quality fresh fish from the supermarket or your local fishmonger. To tell if the fish is fresh, it should smell of the sea and have a firm flesh. Avoid fish that has a strong ammonia smell and slimy texture. 

The fish - Meaty white fish works well for this. Skinless cod, haddock or hake are the best contenders. I wouldn’t go for a monkfish as it releases a lot of liquid and isn’t as easy to get crispy. Delicate fish like dover sole are delicious and would work but are expensive, however the texture of flat fish is second to none and works really well in my fish finger recipe. 

Preparing - For the fish fingers, use your sharpest knife to cut the fish fillets into 3-4cm wide pieces. Patting the fish dry with kitchen paper before coating it is a good way to get rid of excess moisture. 

THE CRUMB 

Panko breadcrumbs - Panko are Japanese-style breadcrumbs. Traditionally they are used in Japan to coat Katsu or Tonkatsu. You can find them in any large supermarket usually either in the Japanese section or alongside the dry goods like stuffing. Panko is pleasing because it’s already crunchy, so it only gets crunchier when in contact with heat. It also turns a lovely golden brown. When using panko I tend to find it a little too coarse so I whizz mine in a food processor for around 10 seconds to take some of the large chunks out. I find it easier to properly coat the fish when the texture is finer. 

Fresh - Using up a few dry ends of a loaf to make breadcrumbs is a fantastic way to minimise food waste. I tend to whizz up the stale ends to a fine texture then pack them into a zip-lock bag and freeze them. Stale sourdough works well for crumbs because of its firmer texture.

THE OIL 

Shallow frying is the best way to cook coated fish. Think of shallow frying as somewhere between frying and deep frying. There needs to be enough oil in your pan to almost submerge the fish. Neutral is best, nothing with a strong flavour, so use sunflower or vegetable oil. 

THE RECIPES 

Fish finger sarnies and tartare sauce

PREP 30 mins 

COOK 15 mins 

SERVES 4